Madagascar \Mad`a*gas"car\ (m[a^]d`[.a]*g[a^]s"k[~e]r) prop. n.
An island in the Indian Ocean, about 240 miles off the
southeast coast of Africa, governed as a single country, the
Republic of Madagascar. It is the world's fourth-largest
island, with a total area of 587,040 sq km, with 4,828 km of
coastline. Once a French colony, it gained independence from
France in 1960. The name of the government after independence
was the Malagasy Republic.
[PJC]
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in
1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National
Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of
single-party rule. In 1997 in the second presidential
race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
1980s, was returned to the presidency. The Population:
is 15,982,563 (July 2001 est.) The highest point is
Maromokotro, at 2,876 m. Natural resources are:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, and hydropower.
--CIA World
Factbook
[PJC]

Madagascar
n 1: a republic on the island of Madagascar; achieved
independence from France in 1960 [syn: Madagascar,
Republic of Madagascar, Malagasy Republic]
2: an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of
Africa; the 4th largest island in the world